Founder of Olivewood Orthopaedics John Sanford Holmes Dies at 80

John Sanford Holmes, M.D., orthopedic surgeon and founder of Olivewood Orthopaedics passed away on March 6, 2023, in Genoa, Nevada, at the age of 80 after a battle with Lewy body dementia.

Holmes served patients as a part of the Merced Orthopedic Medical Group between 1979 to 1985 when he opened his own practice, Olivewood Orthopaedics. He devoted himself to the Merced County community for 30 years until his retirement in 2009.

His family said he did everything from treating sprained joints and fixing broken bones to replacing worn-out knees and hips. He spent many nights and weekends as the on-call doctor at Mercy Medical Center.

Holmes was born to Jean and Frank on September 29, 1943, on Governors Island in New York along with his twin sister Carolyn. He and Carolyn, his other sister Wendy and his brother Peter all grew up in San Fernando, California. He attended one year at the University of California at Santa Barbara in 1962 and then took a year off to travel Europe. This is where he met his future wife, Nancy Burton. They were married in 1967 and had four boys together: Brian, Colin, Jamie, and Kevin.

When they both returned to California, they graduated together from Valley State which is now California State University at Northridge. After doing his medical training and serving three years as a major with the U.S. Army in Germany, he, Nancy, and his children moved to Merced, Nevada.

In addition to his busy practice, Dr. Holmes continued to serve his community in many other ways. He was an environmental activist and worked passionately to improve the air quality in Central Valley. One specific project he is remembered for was his role in campaigning and eventually preventing a rocket engine testing plant from setting up in Merced County. He also worked diligently to raise awareness about nuclear nonproliferation and climate change.

Dr. Holmes was a Rotary Paul Harris Fellow and served as president of the Rotary Club of North Merced and chair of his Rotary District’s International Service Committee. He also helped bring humanitarian aid to people in Russia, Ukraine, Mexico, and the Caribbean.

Holmes and Nancy divorced in 1997 and he married Karen Rezzelle in 1999 and adopted her daughters Candance and Connie. When he retired from medicine, he and Karen moved to Genoa, Nevada, where they opened a restaurant, the Genoa Station. He became an integral part of the community volunteering at the town fundraiser Candy dance and participating in the town’s Cowboy Poetry Festival.

Holmes is survived by his wife Karen; sister Carolyn Holmes, brothers Peter and Victor; sons by Nancy Holmes and his adopted daughters. He also leaves behind his grandchildren: Hazel, Sid, Olivia, Abbie, Emma, Logan, Jack, Oliver, Kateyln, and Heather, and his great grandchild Emily. He is predeceased by his parents and his sister Wendy.